Fans of Division Avenue’s (defunct) Reptile House and their locally famous dance parties have discovered a rebirth of their sound and a reason to shake it in public from a local DJ who is too young to recall those Jager-infused nights.
Vinyl Fetish's Joe Moon had just an idea when he started his
Vinyl Fetish Thursdays at the Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill of a special night devoted to a niche form of music. He did so because, while Grand Rapids has plenty of places showcasing top of the charts dance tunes as well as plenty of niche retro-music nights, he felt there was a real shortage of places highlighting dance music’s darker side.
As the night has grown to attract an audience over the past year, Moon has welcomed guest DJs as well as adding Dana West-Bystry as a partner last July at the popular Thursday event.
Recently, Moon reflected with Publisher Tommy Allen about the year long experience and the upcoming celebration. “I’ve met a lot of people from that time who have come out and enjoyed what I was doing, along with the younger generation of kids who relate to the style of music,” says Moon, “It’s been a beautiful clash of ages and personalities. The vibe of the night is always welcoming and accepting.”
The welcoming aspects of Vinyl Fetish’s crew is what has impressed Rapid Growth, which has been tracking this subculture of our city as we establish a DJ culture here that is part curation part celebration.
So get to the wild westside outpost on Thursday to celebrate with Moon and West-Bystry as they welcome some of their favorite DJ’s including Brandon Hill, Elyse Renee, Geoffrey Hudson, Kevin Czarnik, and Michael Mist.
As always, no cover. Those who come out can enjoy $3 long islands all night from 9 - 2 a.m. and the best dark disco-industrial music this side of the Reptile House.